Method of inlaying and embossing celluloid



(Modem- W. .F. WEBER.

METHOD OF INLAYQING'AND EMBJOSSING GELYLULOIQD. No. 275,343.PmtentedApr. 3,1883.

n. Pucks PholuLithognphon Washingion, n. c.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. WEBER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF INLAYING AND EMBOSSING CELLULOID.

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,343, dated April3, 1883.

Application filed August 30, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. WEBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Inlayingand Embossing Celluloid; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of 'the invention, such as willenable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates more especially to an improved method of inlayingand embossing with and upon cellfiloid, lignoid, zylanite,bonsilat'ey-coralt'rne orother plastic, semi-plastic, or compressible materials orarticles made therefromflvhereby a great saving in the cost, as well asa very'sdperior finish, and other advantages are secured as comparedwith methods heretofore practiced.

The invention will be hereinafter fully explained, and finally pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is intended to represent a plan View of apiece of inlaid celluloid or other material; Fig. 2, asection of thesame through line :12, and Fig. 3 a sectional view of an embossedarticle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of theseveral figures.

By the methods heretofore employed it has beenvery difficult to attainsatisfactoryresults in the use of celluloid, &c., in consequence ofthetendency of theinlayin g material toflow and blend with thesurrounding material caused by the heat to which the materials aresubjected, while other compressible materials not afi'ected byheat areliable to become damaged by the pressure applied to them. It is alsovery tedious in cases where small pieces or particles are to be inlaidor embossed, to cut the separate pieces out and place and keep them inthe desired positions before or while the process of inlaying orembossing is being conducted.

In carrying out my invention, when the design or ornament is to beinlaid, matched or male and female dies are employed, the figure orornament being sunk in one material and raised on the other material ofa contrasting design made by the aforesaid male die.

(Modem color, and it is requisite that the height of the raised portionof the male die and the depth of the sunken portion of the female dieshould be equal. When more than two colors are desired, as in forming abouquet, more female (lies are requiredi. a, one for each color-excepting in certain caseswhich will behereinafterdescribed. The figure to beshown as inlaid is first sunk in the surface of the article or materialto be so ornamented with a male die, as already described, and then apiece of material of contrasting color, large enough to cover the designin the female die and somewhat thicker than the depth of said design, isembossed by means of said female die, and then cemented byanysnitableadhesive substanceinto the sunken After being dried hard thesurplus material or film attached or adhering to the embossed design isground off or cut down until the design and the article or materialornamented are flush or level, and a perfect piece of inlaying is theresult, as the embossed figure fits into and penetrates thecorresponding sunken figure, as will be understood. By this method ofinlaying the imperfections and disadvantages incident to the old methodsare avoided and the use of cutters and other tools than the diesis notrequired, except where small pieces are to be inlaid separately-as, forexample, to indicate a simple line, square, or other form, in whichcases the said square or other form may be sunk into the article ormaterial to be ornamented with a male die and the said line, square,850., may be cut out with a cutter or other tool from material ofcontrasting color, and then cemented into the said sunken form, ashereinbefore described. When a small piece to represent the center of afioweror other design is to be inlaid, that portion of the female diecorresponding with said center piece or other part isleft raised insteadof sunk therein, so that when an impression is taken from the said diethe said center, 850., will be sunk in the material, leavin g a recessfor the before-mentioned small piece cut from a material of contrastingcolor, which is then inlaid, as before described.

When a design is to be embossed upon an article, and of a differentcolor from the background or article, the thickness of the material ofwhich the designis formed should slightly exceed the desired height ofsaid design, so

that after the latter has been secured thereon by means of some adhesivesubstance or other Wise, there will be left adhering a film thick enoughto hold, if necessary, the design or ornament in all its delicate partsintact, and thus facilitate the placing and retaining of the same inposition upon the surface of the material or article to be embossed, aswill be understood. After the design has been properly secured to thesurface of the said article, the film may be easily removed by grinding,lapping, or other appropriate means. If it be desirable to secure theopposite surface of the ornament to the article, the face of theornament, after it has been removed from the die, may be cemented to apiece of card-board or stiff paper to hold the parts intact, when thefilm on the other side can be removed and the ornament be secured to thearticle, as before. After the parts have been allowed to dry and harden,the paper or card-board may be easily removed, as will be manifest, andthe face of the ornament polished or finished.

If it be desired to have the surface of the article orornament roughenedor figured, the surface of the die may be prepared accordingly, as willbe understood.

In some cases the process of affixing and securing an ornament inposition will be facilitated by first making a slight impression orindentation with a male die upon or in the surface to be ornamented,thereby forming a recess or seat to receive and prevent the em bossedfigure from moving after it has been placed in position or while beingsecured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and Wish to havesecured by Letters Patent, is-- 1 The method herein described ofinlaying plastic or other compressible materials, the same consisting inmaking an impression of a design into the material or article to beinlaid, then embossing the said design upon a piece of the same oranother materiahthen securing the two together, the embossed designentering the sunken design, and, after being dried and hardened, cuttingdown, polishing, and finishing the face of said design,substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The method herein described of inlaying plastic or other compressiblematerials of contrasting colors,the same consisting in making animpression of a design into the material or article to be inlaid, thenembossing the said design upon materials of one or more contrastingcolors,then securing the said embossed design or designs into the saidsunken design, then removing the surplus material and finishing the faceof said design, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The method herein described of embossing plastic and other materials,the same consist- 1 ing in embossing a design on plastic or othercompressible material, then securing the same upon the surface of thearticle to be ornamented, and, after being dried, finishing the same,substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this22d day of August, 1882.

WILLIAM F. lVE BER.

\Vitnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, E. L. RoFF.

